Michigan State uses balanced offense to beat Maryland
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Cassius Winston and Kenny Goins scored 14 points each to help No. 6 Michigan State beat No. 13 Maryland 69-55 Monday night with balanced offense and stifling defense.
The Spartans (17-2, 8-0 Big Ten) have won 12 straight this season to take sole possession of first in the conference. They have won 20 consecutive Big Ten regular season games dating to last year.
The Terrapins (16-4, 7-2) had a shot to move into first place in the conference, but couldn't extend their seven-game winning streak.
Maryland's leading scorer, Anthony Cowan, was held to a season-low seven points.
The Terrapins connected on just 34 percent of their shots against the Spartans after shooting 58 percent of in their previous game, a 14-point win at Ohio State.
No. 9 KANSAS 80, No. 24 IOWA STATE 76
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Dedric Lawson had 29 points and 15 rebounds, Devon Dotson hit the clinching free throws with 5.9 seconds left and Kansas held on to beat Iowa State.
Marcus Garrett added 16 points and Lagerald Vick had 14 for the Jayhawks (16-3, 5-2 Big 12), who blew a late lead at West Virginia over the weekend but this time slammed the door down the stretch.
Iowa State (14-5, 4-3) got within 72-71 on a driving layup by Marial Shayok with 1:44 to go, but Garrett followed a swap of empty possessions with a layup. Michael Jacobson hit a free throw for the Cyclones, but Lawson's 3 from the top of the key made it 77-72 with 22.3 seconds left.
Shayok added the last of his team-high 26 points for Iowa State, and after Dotson made the second of two free throws, Tyrese Haliburton made two of his own to get within 78-76 with 7.5 seconds left.
Dotson was immediately fouled on the inbound and this time he made both of his free throws.
No. 11 NORTH CAROLINA 103, No. 10 VIRGINIA TECH 82
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Freshman Coby White scored 27 points and North Carolina knocked down a season-high 16 3-pointers to beat Virginia Tech.
Fellow rookie Nassir Little added a season-high 23 points for the Tar Heels (15-4, 5-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), who struggled out of the gate to fall behind by nine while making just 1 of their first 12 3s.
But it wasn't long before just about everything started falling from behind the arc, an avalanche that sparked a game-turning 20-0 run that pushed UNC to a 45-31 lead by halftime.
UNC made 15 of its last 22 3-pointers, finished the game shooting 54 percent and led by as many as 27 points.
Ahmed Hill scored 20 points for the Hokies (15-3, 4-2), who made 6 of 7 3-pointers in a fast start only to end the half by going nearly 6 minutes without a basket.
